


Together For Christmas

by BlackCat46



Series: Hayffie Celebrations [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-17 17:57:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13082223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCat46/pseuds/BlackCat46
Summary: Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, four year old Willow, and newborn Rye are all holed up in Twelve for Christmas. There's only Effie missing from this scene. Will she make it in time for Christmas?





	Together For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and merry Christmas, my lovely readers! I do hope you've all had a nice day today so far. I'm just about to go to sleep now, so I shall love you and leave you with this story. xxx
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, its characters, or its world. All rights go to Suzanne Collins, and I am not Suzanne. I just like playing around with her characters.

_"You will not_ believe _it,"_ the Capitol woman sighs dramatically on the other end of the line as soon as Haymitch picks up.

"What's that?" Haymitch asks softly, watching as Willow runs over to him and wraps her arm around his thigh.

"The train I am currently on to come and see the five of you is stuck! They're trying to clear the tracks, but the snow's just too thick," Effie tell him, her voice ragged.

"Don't work yourself up, sweetheart," Haymitch sighs. "How long will it take?"

"Three days," Effie whispers. "I should have come earlier, this wouldn't have happened and we would have been snuggling together with hot chocolate."

"You had a hospital appointment, Effie, you couldn't have come earlier," Haymitch says soothingly. "I'll ask Plutarch to send you a hovercraft."

"No, I'm among trees," Effie sighs. "The train is stuck on the outskirts of Seven. Oh, Haymitch, I may just miss Christmas!"

"The snow won't last  _that_ long," Haymitch says, worry filling him at the idea of his precious small thing being stuck on the outskirts of District Seven all by herself. "Princess, are you  _sure_ I shouldn't send someone to rescue you?"

"Yes, darling, I think we'll be fine. I do hope we make it to Twelve in time. Listen, I have to go, I am low on minutes. I shall see you very soon," she says, then blows a kiss down the phone.

"What do you mean  _we_?" he asks as Effie hangs up. "Damn woman!"

"What's up?" Peeta asks, looking up from his sketch.

"Effie's train's delayed, snowed to a standstill," Haymitch tells him, picking Willow up and kissing her cheek. "Hey, Pumpkin."

"Grandpa Mitch!" Willow squeals, despite him having been there all afternoon. She rests her head on his shoulder and says "I loves you!"

"I love you too, Pumpkin," Haymitch chuckles, giving her a kiss. "You know, Pumpkin, if I'd ever had a little girl, I'd have wanted her to be just like you." 

"Are you and Auntie Effie not gonna have babies?" Willow asks, seeming genuinely put out.

"Nah, we're a bit old for that," Haymitch chuckles. "Besides, I haven't seen her in eight months while she's been studying, how could we have a baby?"

Katniss scoffs. "Effie's only thirty two, and you're what?" she asks.

"Forty eight," Haymitch mutters. "I'm too old, and she doesn't like the idea of having a baby."

"She likes Rye and me," Willow points out.

"You're not her kids," Haymitch reminds her. "She likes other people's kids."

"Don't talk stupid," Katniss sighs. "You know perfectly well that the only reason she went to study in the city is that fight you two had nine months ago. She cried for a week straight. She could have studied from home, but that fight-"

"Yeah, I'm aware that every time she cries, it's my fault," Haymitch bitterly cuts in. "You're like a broken record. You'd blame me for the damn milk turning sour. I can't do anything right in your eyes."

"You made Effie cry," Peeta says.

 _She made me cry, I don't see you hassling her about it_ , Haymitch thinks resentfully. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, she's trying to come home, and she's stuck in Seven," he says, but the two young adults pick up on his tone. 

"What are you not telling us?" Katniss asks.

"What?" Haymitch asks, playing dumb.

"What aren't you telling us?" Katniss repeats. "She said something, didn't she?"

"She said we," Haymitch mutters, then puts Willow on her mother's lap. "I'm goin' home."

* * *

The next morning finds Haymitch passed out in his living room all alone. He's fallen asleep with a bottle of brandy in his hand, one of the twenty four Effie has sent him as Advent presents. Willow comes bursting into Haymitch's house, closely followed by her exhausted parents, and jumps onto Haymitch's stomach, winding him as a Christmas greeting. He yells out, staring at the little girl. "Merry Christmas, Uncle Mitch!" Willow squeals.

"Merry Christmas, Pumpkin," Haymitch groans. "Your present's under the tree."

Instead of running for it, Willow hugs her uncle. "Thanks you. I'm sorry you don't have Auntie Effie yet," she whispers.

"It's okay, Pumpkin," Haymitch whispers, though he's miserable without his adorable little thing to cuddle. "You go get your gifts, okay? Your Auntie Effie gave them to Santa for him to drop off here."

Willow nods and runs off while her parents get the camera out. Just as Willow picks up a gift, the front door opens and a soft squeak of a grunt comes from the hall. "Honey, I'm home!" a soft voice calls, a Capitol and District hybrid accent echoing.

The living room door opens as soon as the front door's closed, and Haymitch looks up to see his wife beaming at him. "Hey, Princess!" he chuckles, thrilled to see her again. He wraps her in his arms and kisses her gently. "You made it."

"I did," she giggles, kissing him. "And I brought you a little surprise."

"Where is it?" he asks.

She turns around to the hall and bends down, then picks something large up. She turns back carefully, then shows him the inside of the thing. Nestled in a mound of blankets inside the carry cradle is a tiny baby girl, the very image of her mother, aside from the evidently Seam eyes, despite her being fast asleep. "Here she is," Effie whispers, beaming at him. "Our little girl."

"Eff..." Haymitch breathes. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't know when I left," Effie murmurs. "I know you'll hate me for not telling you, but they told me that my due date was the twenty third of December, and I was twenty four hours overdue when I called you. She was born on the train last night, and I knew she was just as eager to see her daddy as I was. Congratulations, you're a father."

Haymitch gapes at her, then returns his attention to his sleeping daughter. "Does she have a name yet?" he asks.

"I've just been calling her Peanut," Effie admits, not noticing that Katniss and Peeta are wrapped up in watching their daughter unwrap gifts. "What would you like to name her?"

"Elle," Haymitch murmurs. "It's as close as I can get to Beauty without it sounding like Beauty and the Beast."

Effie smiles, then studies their baby. "Elle Abernathy," she whispers, testing it out on her tongue. "Yes. It's beautiful, just like her. Yes, we'll call her Elle."

"Are you two coming to open your gifts?" Peeta asks, then his gaze lands on the baby. "Where did that come from?"

"Me," Effie deadpans. "I grew her. Anyway, yes, we're on our way. We just need a name for our little princess."

"You have a  _baby_?!" Willow shrieks.

The newborn squeals and sets Rye off, and Effie sighs. "Yes, Willow, we have a baby. Her name is Elle."

"And we're together for Christmas," Peeta says, smiling. "I bet you're thrilled, Haymitch."

"Yeah, I am," Haymitch chuckles. "I wanted my Effie back, and I got her home, plus a smaller sized her too."

"Mean," Effie chuckles, giving him a kiss, then a wrapped gift. "Here. I know nothing will ever live up to our baby, but you need something to commemorate this."

Haymitch grins. "I'll open it, but I have my wife and a baby girl. No need for more commemoration," he says, then kisses her gently.

Effie grins. "Sappy," she accuses. 

"Yeah, yeah, you love me that way," Haymitch chuckles.

"I love you, full stop," Effie whispers, then snuggles him. "Merry Christmas, honey."

"Merry Christmas, small stuff," Haymitch whispers back, hugging her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed that! What did you make of the little surprise? I hope the rest of your day is lovely, and that you have fun, whether you're celebrating or not. 
> 
> Do feel free to let me know what you thought, if you have ideas for more stories you'd like me to write, and how you're all doing. I love chatting with you all. 
> 
> Much love and happiness to you all. Until next time. Cat xxx


End file.
